Rockall can wait, it Goose Rock ahoy for Buckie’s Cam! – Northern Scot

A BUCKIE man's bold bid to raise 1 million for charity by perching on Rockall may have been shelved, but it is has not stopped him finding another rock in the meantime.

Chris 'Cam' Cameron, who now lives in Wiltshire, had intended to lead a team of daring souls to squeeze into a space measuring just 3m x 1.4m during the Queen's jubilee week in aid of veterans' charities and a host of other good causes.

However, a combination of circumstances has meant that the dream to head for the rock 200 miles off the coast of Scotland in the Atlantic has had to be put on hold for another year.

He said: "Fuel costs and being unable to get a skipper to take us out and back to Rockall were big factors in forcing us to change our plans.

"Everybody's pockets are tight at the moment with the cost of living crisis and the Ukraine war has had an impact, too.

"It's unfortunate timing, I suppose, but we've got to be pragmatic about it. We're hoping we'll have better luck next year."

However, Mr Cameron, who is a former Gordon Highlanders soldier and is currently a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy Reserve, has not let the enforced change of plan set him back too much. Last Monday saw him, along with Dr Chris Grieco, Adam Styles and Nick Thrall, head for the the opposite end of the country in the shape of Goose Rock off the coast of Newquay, Cornwall.

Mr Cameron said: "I know the area well I was married in Crantock, which is near Newquay and I could actually the village see from Goose Rock and I've swum out to it a few times though I've never been on it.

"While we couldn't get to Rockall I thought it would be good to have the opportunity to test both our equipment and ourselves ahead of next year. It was about getting the niggles ironed out in everything from our [accommodation] pod to the amount of rations and water we need to take and it's been a really, really useful experience.

"As far as I know there hasn't been a survey done on Goose Rock so we might be the first people to actually stay on it!"

The group were to experience the great British weather in all its unpredictability.

"When we arrived on Monday it was glorious sunshine and we got a bit sunburned we even went caught spider crabs for lunch," he continued.

"However, by Tuesday we had 30 knot winds and it was pouring with rain.

"Our pod was leaking so we got soaked, as did our stuff but we managed to get it dried out a bit on Wednesday. At least we've got more space on Goose Rock than we'll have on Rockall. There were three flat spaces we could've camped although the rest of the rock which is about twice the size of the Bow Fiddle Rock at Portknockie is razor sharp. With the rain, the rock became very slippery.

"We had quite a few visitors coming round the rock to see us, including paddle boarders and even the local RNLI."

For more details of Mr Cameron's Rockall quest, visit https://www.rockall2022.org/

If anyone can help the team out with a boat to ferry them to the rock, email him at freuchny@gmail.com

BLOB for more photo, visit http://www.grampianonline.co.uk

just postponed, test out equipment/back on rock 200 miles off scottish coast in atlantic ocean

website/former soldier now naval reserbist/first to stay on rock

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Rockall can wait, it Goose Rock ahoy for Buckie's Cam! - Northern Scot